Retort.



R. G. STILBS.

RETORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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THE NORRI: PETERS CO. PHOYO Llnw WASHING ION '7 t R. G. STILES.

RETORT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.4. 1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

YHE NORPLS FEFERS c ROBERT G. STILES, OF PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

RETORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed November 4, 1913. Serial No. 799,207.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. STILEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Parkersburg, in the county of lVood and State of l/Vest Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Retorts, of which the following is a specification.v

This invention relates to retorts, particularly wood steaming retorts, and one of its objects is to provide a retort body having a mouth or opening of square or other rectangular form, and other than a circular form, whereby greater facility is afforded andtime and labor saved in filling and emptying the retort, while allowing the retort to be filled to its full capacity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a retort having a rectangular body and a rectangular opening, the body and opening being of such relative dimensions as to permit of portions, including the corners, of the retort body to be filled with the material to be treated, thus securing manifest economy in permitting a maximum amount of material to be treated at a time.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a retort in which provision is made for draining water of condensation from the wood to avoid liability of staining the wood, and for retaining an amount of water in the bottom of the retort below the wood so that the steam arising therefrom will keep the wood damp while the retort is being emptied, thus preventing the wood from becoming dry and brittle, with consequent liability of the fibers of the wood breaking when the wood is bent.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a retort of the character described having a novel construction of door and mode of mounting the same, whereby the door may be readily and conveniently opened and closed and a tight sealing of the mouth effected.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed,

reference being had to the accompanying drawlng, in which Flgure 1 is a perspective view of a retort embodying my invention, showing the door thereof open. Fig. 2 is a similar View of a retort showing the door closed. F ig. 3 is a top plan View of the retort with the parts arranged as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4- of Fig. 3.

In the practical embodiment of my invention, Iprovide a preferably horizontal retort body 1, mounted upon a stand composed of supporting legs 2. The retort body is rectangular in cross section and is provided at its rear end with a flange 3 to which is bolted or otherwise fastened a permanent rear end wall 4. The forward end of the body is provided with an inwardly projecting marginal flange 5 to which is bolted or otherwise fastened a downwardly projecting marginal flange 6 upon a door frame 7 having an interior abutment shoulder 8. The frame forms a doorway or mouth 9, through which the retort body is adapted to be filled and emptied. This doorway or mouth is of square or other suitable rectangular form, preferably of less area than but conforming to the cross sectional form of the retort body, and provides a passage which allows the material to be packed at all points within the body of the retort, including the corners thereof, by which the retort may be filled to its full capacity, and which at the same time permits of the material after treatment being readily, conveniently and expeditionsly withdrawn. In retorts provided with round or circular mouths, difficulty is experienced in filling and emptying the retort, and it is found practically impossible to fill the corners of the retort with the material to be treated, thus diminishing the effective containing capacity of the retort and requiring the expenditure of a comparatively large amount of time and labor in filling and emptying the same. By providinga structure which allows the mouth of the retort to be made of square or equivalent angular form, these objections are effectually overcome, the retort rendered capable of being filled at all points to its utmost capacity and greater convenience afforded in the filling and emptying operations, with a consequent degree of economy in time and labor and the advantage of treating" a greater amount of material on each working operation of the retort.

A door or cover 10 is provided to fit within the doorway and against the shoulder 8 and hermetically seal the mouth of the retort. Thisdoor is swiveled to the lower end of a screw shaft 11 journaled in and movable longitudinally through a central screw threaded bearing aperture 12 in a swinging supporting yoke 13, the door being provided at eachside with a pair ofspaced guide lugs 14: engaging and sliding'in contact With the yoke arms to guide the door in its movements. 7

The arms of theyoke 13 extend down on oppositesides of the retort body and are provided at their ends with bearings 15 pivotally engaging trunnions 16 on the retort, whereby the yoke is adapted to swing through an arc of 90 between the vertical and horizontal. The yoke arms are held in engagement with the trunnionsb'yiretaining nuts 17 and stop lugs 18 are provided on the retort body to limit the downward swinging motion of the yoke, said lugs being preferably provided with adjustable stop screws 14 for contact with the yoke arms, whereby the stops may be set to accurately arrest the downward movement of the yoke when the door is brought into position for movement toward the mouth or door opening to close the same. Y

By means of the screw shaft 11, which is provided with a hand wheel 20, the door may be adjusted outwardly from the doorway or mouth preliminarily to swinging it upwardly to an open position, in order that it may clear the retort body in its opening and closing movements. When the yoke is swung upwardly to a vertical position and overlies the retort, the door 10 will be held entirely clear of the doorway, allowing the material to be conveniently inserted or removed. To close the doorway, the yoke is swung downwardly and forwardly to a horizontal position, by which it will thus be 'dis osed in re ister with the doorwa so that by adjustment of the screw shaft 11 the door may be'moved inwardly to retort closing position.

In practice I preferably provide means for counterbalancing the weight of the door, such as shown in my application for Patent No. 774,159, filed June 17, 1913, which counterbalancing mechanism is not herein shown,

as it constitutes no part of the present invention.

' The door opening is of less dimensions than the body of the retort, the sill or bottom of the doorway being disposed above the plane of the bottom of the retort, which is formed witha drop or depression 21 providing a chamber 22. This chamber is preferably provided with a blow-off valve or cock 23 and is covered by a grating 24, which may have its upper surface arranged in the plane of the sill of the door opening. The grating is adapted to support the body of wood and permit of the drainage therefrom into the chamber 22- of anywater'which may result from condensation ofythe steam, thus avoiding liability of staining or otherwise marring the appears ance of the wood. also serve as a receptacle for a smaller quantity of water, which may be'introduced The chamber 22 may v whenthe retort is being emptied, so that the steam rising therefrom, due to the internal heat of the retort, will keep the wood damp andnot allow it to dry and become brittle, avoiding breakage of the fiber of the wood while the wood is being bent into shape.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that my invention provides a retort body having a mouth or doorway of square or equivalent form, by wh ch material advantages as stated are gamed, and"wh1ch overcomes the disadvantages of the use of ordinary round or circular doorways. It will also be seen that the inventlon provides a rectangular retort body which will hold a maximum amount of material, and mayalso be filled with ease and convenience. It will further be seen that the invention provides a door structure which allows the door to be moved upward clear of the mouth or doorway for greater convenience in filling and emptying the retort.

The retort is designed primarily for steaming wood used in the manufacture of furniture and Various other articles in which greater facility than is possible with retorts of circular form or having door openings such form.

I claim A retort comprising, in combination, a retort body square in cross section and having a doorway at one end thereof, said doorway being formed by an inwardly extending marginal flange deepest at its base, whereby the bottom of the body is vdisposed below the 10 steam and water collection chamber, said grating having its upper surface flushwith the sill of the doorway, and a valved steam outlet communicating with said chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. G. STILES.

Witnesses:

MABEL HIEHLE, JOHN MARsHALL.

copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

